One rooftop, three properties: Cape Town’s new solar power move

Redefine Properties has invested R106 million in a rooftop solar facility in Brackengate that will supply renewable electricity to three major Cape Town properties through the City’s municipal electricity grid.

The 7.014 MWp installation, located at the Massmart Distribution Centre, will supply power to Kenilworth Centre, Blue Route Mall and the Towers office precinct using a system known as electricity wheeling, according to Moneyweb.

The project is expected to generate 9 889 MWh of renewable electricity annually and prevent approximately 9 645 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. It operates under a 20-year commitment.

Redefine chief operating officer Leon Kok said the initiative would allow the property group to manage its energy resources more efficiently across its portfolio.

‘By using the capacity of one asset to support others, we’re creating a more efficient and resilient portfolio,’ Kok said.

The installation allows electricity generated at one property to enter the municipal grid before being allocated to other properties within the portfolio.

‘The significance of this project lies not only in the scale of the installation, but in the way it allows us to manage energy across our portfolio,’ Kok added (BusinessTech).

This means that electricity generation does not have to take place at the same location where the power is ultimately consumed. For property owners, the model offers a way to distribute renewable energy across multiple buildings while reducing reliance on conventional electricity sources.

The project is the first purpose-built rooftop solar wheeling installation of its kind within Cape Town’s municipal electricity grid and forms part of the City’s wheeling pilot programme.

Cape Town’s broader energy transition is also outlined in the City’s latest energy report, which examines changing electricity use and the growing role of rooftop solar.

The facility comprises 11 691 solar panels spread across approximately 57 000m² of rooftop space.

Connected to the municipal network at the Rubicon Substation, the project required additional infrastructure, including a dedicated mini-substation building, an inverter station and a transformer yard.

The installation also incorporates approximately 300km of cabling and 2km of rooftop walkways to support maintenance and operational access.

City mayoral committee member for energy Xanthea Limberg said the initiative demonstrated how municipal infrastructure could help unlock private-sector investment in renewable electricity.

‘The city’s pooled wheeling facility represents a decisive leap forward in advancing the bold vision set out in our 2050 Energy Strategy,’ Limberg said.

With an annual generation target of 9 889 MWh, the Brackengate installation adds a substantial renewable energy source to the group’s Cape Town portfolio, linking one solar facility to three separate commercial properties.

The Western Cape is also exploring large-scale renewable energy solutions, including a solar power plant designed to reduce reliance on Eskom in Riversdale.

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